Bow making machine



Dec. Z8, 1965 A E. GOLDFARB BOW MAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. 23, 1964 Dec. 28, 1965 A. E. GOLDFARB BOW MAKING MACHINE 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23, 1964 INVENTOR.

Dec. 28, 1965 A. E. GOLDFARB 3,225,976

BOW MAKING MACHINE United States Patent O 3,225,976 BOW MAKING MACHINEAdolph E. Goldfarb, 7427 Varna St., North Hollywood, Calif. Filed Jan.23, 1964, Ser. No. 339,808 9 Claims. (Cl. 223-46) In general, thepresent invention relates to a machine for making decorative bows from acontinuous length of ribbon. `More particularly, the present inventionrelates to a simple, inexpensive bow making machine adapted to beintermittently and manually operated.

The preparation of bows made out of ribbon or any continuous length ofstrip material involves considerable manual skill and dexterity and isquite time consuming if done simply on a Imanual basis. For this reason,a number of machines have been developed for making of decorative bowsfrom a continuous length of ribbon whereby such bow making issubstantially completely automatic. Probably, the most successfulautomatic bow making machine is the machine described in United StatesPatent No. 2,933,223, issued to Robert S. Kravig and Arnold E. Johnsonon April 19, 1960. The Kravig patent discusses at length the problemsassociated with the making of decorative bows and the various prior artbow .making machines and then discusses its bow making machine which canproduce individualistic-appearing attractive ornamental bow structure ofvarious shapes and configuration. As disclosed in the Kravig Ipatent,bows can be fashioned from a continuous length of r-ibbon wherein theloops of ribbon are formed and disposed along numerous radii about thebow center and the loops of the bow, particularly in their curved orbight portions, are smoothly arcuate with the same surface of the ribbonexposed outwardly in each loop. Thus, the Kravig patent represents asubstantial advance in the bow making art and is capable of rapidlyfabricating large quantities of bows. However, while the Kravig patentteaches excellent solution to the problem of making decorative bowscommercially, i.e. in large quantities and rapidly, it does notrepresent a satisfactory solution to the home production of bows by anindividual wrapping gifts or Christmas presents. Thus, the Kravig patentteaches an expensive machine which is relatively complicated instructure and adapted to operate substantially continuously andautomatically. On the other hand, a bow making machine for the use inthe home must be simple and inexpensive so that the average housewifecan operate such machine merely on the basis of an instruction bookletand can afford to purchase one for such a specic use. Furthermore, ahome bow making machine must be simple in structure so that no servicingis required and when a part does break, it can be simply repaired. Also,a home bow making machine should preferably be adapted to be operatedintermittently rather than substantially automatically so that theoperator maintains full control of the operation at all times.

Consequently, an object of the present invention is an inexpensivemachine for making decorative bows from a continuous length of ribbonand which is simply constructed and operated.

Another object of the present invention is a home bow making machineadapted to be intermittently and manually operated by the averagehousewife.

Still another object of the present invention is a home =bow makingmachine which requires substantially no servicing and is easilyrepaired.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readilyapparent from the following description and drawings which illustrate apreferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

"ice

In general, the present invention involves a bow making machinecomprising a rotatable loop retaining means adapted to hold in fixedposition thereon ribbon applied thereto and be rotated independently bythe first hand of the bow machine operator. The loop retaining means isrotated successively through a predetermined angle by a loop-operatingmeans which includes an operating lever adapted to rotate loop retainingmeans by repeated rotation between the same angular positions. The bowmaking machine also includes a ribbon feed means adapted to successivelyapply portions of ribbons spaced along a continuous length thereof tosaid loop retaining means successively to form radiating loops of ribbonand to be operated independently by the second hand of the bow machineoperator.

In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention,reference will now be made to the appended drawings of a preferredspecific embodiment of the present invention. Such drawings should notbe construed as limiting the invention which is properly set forth inthe appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the bowmaking machine of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 1 taken along the lines 2 2of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 1 taken along the lines 3 3of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a plurality broken away side View of the rear portion ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a partially broken away perspective view of the frontportion of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of the loop retaining means portionof the present invention showing the initial step in the operation ofthe bow making machine of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URE 6 showing theloop forming step in the operation of the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showing the loop measuring stepin the operation of the bow making machine of the present invention;

FIGURE 9 is a schematic view showing the style adjustment portion of thepresent invention;

FIGURE l0 is a schematic view showing the size adjustment portion of thepresent invention.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1-10, the present invention involves a bowmaking .machine 2l) having a loop retaining means 40 and aloop-operating means 70 for rotating the loop retaining means and theribbon feed means 100. The bow making machine 2t) includes a platform orstand 21 having a mound 22 at the front end. In the central portion ofthe top mound 22 is an aperture 23 which forms a rim 24 out of thesurrounding portion of the mound top. The rear end of the .platform 21includes a clevis 25 with an axle 26 mounted thereon. Extending betweenthe forward portion of the clevis 25 is a shoulder 27. In the centralportion of the stand 21 is formed a container 28 having a cover 29pivotally mounted thereover so that the auxiliary equipment for usingthe bow making machine 20 may be conveniently stored therewith. The4platform 21 is supported by a plurality of legs 30 attached directly tothe underside of the platform 21. In addition, a base plate 31 isattached to the underside of the platform 21 and has extendingdownwardly therefrom an additional leg 32. The base plate 31 has aforwardly projecting flange 33 and an upwardly projecting finger 34which extends into the mound 22 formed in the platform 21. rl`hefunctions of the flange 33 and finger 34 of the base plate 31 are setforth below. The base plate 31 is connected to the rear portion of theplatform 21 by means of a brace 35 which increases the strength andrigidity of the platform 21.

Rotatably mounted on the platform 21 of the bow making machine is a loopretaining means 40 adapted to hold in fixed position thereon ribbonapplied thereto and to be rotated independently by the lirst hand of thebow machine operator. The loop retaining means comprises a spindle 41rotatably mounted on the nger 34 of the base plate 31 and extendingupwardly from the platform 21 through the aperture 23 of the mound 22.The base 41 of the spindle 41 rides on the upper surface of the baseplate 31 and forms a spindle gear 42 surmounted by a shoulder 43.Coaxially and slidably mounted onfthe upper end of the spindle 41 is asleeve 44 which is biased upwardly by a spring 45. The spring 45 ispositioned between the lower end of the sleeve 44 and the spindle 41 andthe lower end of the spring 45 is seated against the base 41' of thespindle 41 while its upper end is seated against an internalcircumferential ridge 46 in the sleeve 44. The sleeve 44 is biased to aforward position by the spring 45 and extends partially beyond the endof the spindle 41 so as to define a cavity 47. Such forward position isdetermined by an external shoulder 48 on the sleeve 44 seating againstthe rim 24 of the mound 22 of the platform 21. Thus, the sleeve 44 isadapted to be retracted through a rearward position whereby the cavity47 is at least substantially reduced in depth, such as illustrated inFIGURES 6 and 7. In addition, the sleeve 44 has a series of serrations44a about its circumference, particularly about its upper rim 44b whichserrations are adapted to prevent the ribbon 101 from slipping as thesleeve 44 is rotated.

The loop retaining means 40 also includes a pin retaining means 50 whichis adapted to removably hold a pin 51 extending from the upper end ofthe spindle 41 with the pointed end of pin 51 extending upwardly. Thepin 51 is conveniently formed, as illustrated in the Kravig patent, by ashaft 52 with a broad flat base 53 having an upwardly tapered edge 54.The top of the pin has a conical point 55 which extends downwardly toform a shoulv der 56 on the shaft 52.

The pin 51 is held by the pin retaining means 50 which includes anannular shelf 57 on the upward end of the spindle 41 with at least onepair of overhanging lips 58. The pin retaining means 50 also includeslocking lever 59 pivotally mounted on the spindle 41. The first end 60of the locking lever 59 has an inwardly extending prong 61 and thesecond end 62 of the locking lever 59 extends externally of the sleeve44 through a slot 49 therein. The locking lever 59 is mounted on an axle63 attached to the spindle 41 and is biased to have the prong 61overhang the shelf 57 by means of a leaf spring 64 pressing against atang 65 on the locking lever 59.

The loop retaining means 40 is rotated by the loopoperating meanssuccessively through a predetermined angle. The loop-operating means 70includes an operating lever 71 which is adapted to rotate loop retainingmeans 40 by repeated rotation between the same angular positions. Theoperating lever 71 is pivoted at its rst end 72 on a post 73 mounted onthe base plate 33 and extending downwardly. The second end 74 of thelever 71 extends externally of the platform 21 through a slot 35 thereinand has a finger tab 75 mounted thereon to facilitate rotation. Therotation of the operating lever 71 is transmitted through the loopretaining means 40 by gear means 76. The gear means 76 comprises anoperating gear 77 rotatably mounted on the post 73 and engaged with thespindle gear 42. The operating lever 71 is engaged with the operatinggear 77 of the gear means 76 .through a clutch means 80 which is adaptedto produce such engagement during rotation of the operating lever in afirst direction and disengaging it during rotation in an oppositedirection. The clutch means 80 comprise a pawl 81 pivotally mounted onthe operating lever 71 and biased by a coil spring 8 2 into engagementwith the operating gear 77. The position of the pawl 81 with referenceto the operating gear 77 is such that when the operating lever 71 isrotated in a clockwise direction when viewed from the top of the bowmaking machine 20 the pawl 81 engages the operating lever 71 with theoperating gear 77 so that the operating gear 77 moves through the sameangle as the operating lever 71. However, when the operating lever 71 isrotated in a counter-clockwise direction, the pawl 81 rides over thegear teeth and does not move the operating gear 77.

One angular position the operating lever 71 is determined simply by theend of the slot 35 in the platform 21. The other angular position of theoperating lever 71 is selectively set by an adjustable stop means 85.The adjustable stop means 85 includes a stop lever 86 pivoted at itsfirst end 87 on the post '73 and extending at its second end 88 throughthe slot 35 in the platform 21. The second end 8S has a nger tab 89 tofacilitate movement of the stop lever 86 and a lug 90 on its undersideextending downwardly. The lug 90 is adapted to be received in a seriesof spaced holes 91 in the platform 21. As set forth below, theadjustable stop means serves as the bow style means of the presentinvention since the position of the stop lever 86 with its lug 90received in a particular hole 91 determines the particular style of bowproduced by the operation of the bow making machine 20.

The loop operating means 40 also includes a brake means 95 forpreventing reverse rotation of the loop retaining means 40 at all times.The brake means 95 includes a pawl 96 biased into engagement with theoperating gear 77 by means of a coil spring 97 and rotatably mounted onthe base plate 33. The brake pawl 96 is adapted to remain in engagementat all times with the operating gear 77 and to permit only clockwiserotation for the operating gear 77 when viewed from the top of the bowmaking machine 20.

Mounted on the bow making machine 20 is a ribbon feed means 100 adaptedto successively apply portions of a ribbon 101 spaced along thecontinuous length thereof to the loop retaining means 40 successively toform radiating loops of ribbon and to be operated independently by thesecond hand of the bow machine operator. The ribbon feed means 100comprises a feed lever 102 having a rear end 103 pivoted about the axle26 of the clevis 25 and `thus spaced from the loop retaining means 40.The front end 104 of the feed lever 102 is adapted to be aligned withthe loop retaining means 40 and is biased from the loop retaining means40 by means of a coil spring 105 mounted on the axle 26 with one arm 106biased against the shoulder 27 of the platform 21 and the other arm 107attached to a bar 108 on the lever 102.

The feed lever 102 has an angle set meansr 110 for selectively limitingthe angular displacement of the feed lever 102 from the loop retainingmeans40. The-angle set means 110 comprises a cam wheel 111 mounted onthe clevis 25 adjacent to the fulcrum axle V26 of the feed lever 102.Mounted on the feed lever 102 is a cam follower boss 112 which isadapted to contact the cam wheel 111 when the feed lever 102 is rotatedaway from the loop retaining means 40. The cam wheel 111 has a positionset rim 113 extending therefrom having a series of notches 114 thereon.The notches 114 are adapted to receive a hair spring 115 mounted on `theclevis 25 and biased into contact with the rim 113. The cam wheel 111 isrotated by means of a shaft 116 extending outwardly through the clevis25 and having an index knob 117 mounted on the end thereof. The rotationof the index knob 117 with respect its pointer 118 indicates theposition of the cam wheel 111 relative to the cam follower boss 112. Inaddition, the engagement of a hair spring 115 in a particular notch 114on the rim 113 sets the cam wheel 111 position after it has beenselected.

Mounted on the front end 104 of the feed lever 102 is a shuttle 120which is adapted to contact loop retaining means 40 when the feed lever102 is rotated towards the loop retaining means 40. More specifically,the tubular shuttle 120 receives therein the pin 51 mounted on the endof the spindle 41 and is received in the cavity 47 of the sleeve 44.Also mounted on the feed lever 102 is a ribbon guide means 121 fordirecting the ribbon 101 into position between the shuttle 120 and theloop retaining means 40. The ribbon guide means 121 includes a guide bar122 mounted on the front end 104 of the feed lever 102 extendingdownwardly adjacent to the shuttle 120. The guide bar 122 has a seriesof slits 123 which successively increase in width and which are orientedwith their outlet adjacent to the shuttle 120. The ribbon guide means121 also includes a slot 124 centrally located in the feed lever 102which receives the ribbon 101 from a roll 125 and directs it to theguide bar 122. The roll 125 of ribbon 101 is in turn rotatably mountedon the rear end 103 of the feed lever 102 by means of an axle 126reoeived in a pocket 127 of the feed lever 102. Alternatively, the roll125 may be located in a second pocket 127' in a feed lever 102 or asecond roll of ribbon of a different or same color may be located in thepocket 127.

Also, the ribbon feed means 100 includes a stop tab means 130 mounted ona feed lever 102 for preventing the ribbon 101 from slipping when thefeed lever 102 moves toward the loop retaining means and permitting suchslippage when the feed lever 102 moves away from the loop retainingmeans 40. The stop tab means 130 includes a loopspring 131 mounted on abar 132 on the feed lever 102 adjacent to the exit of the slot 124 ofthe ribbon guide means 121. The loop spring 131 has a forward arm 133which holds the ribbon 101 against the feed lever 102 and a rear arm 134which braces the forward arm 133 in such posit-ion.

The results achieved by the operation of the bow making machine of thepresent invention are substantially identical to the results achieved bythe machine taught by the Kravig patent. However, the operation issubstantially simpler. Initially, a pin 51 is placed with its base 53resting on the shelf 57 of the spindle 41. Such placement is achieved byslipping the tapered edge 54 of the pin 51 underneath the overhanginglips S8 of the shelf 57 and simultaneously rotating the prong 61 awayfrom the shelf 57 by means of the second end 62 of the locking lever 59(FIGURE 6). The locking lever 59 is then released so that the biasproduced by the spring 64 causes the prong 61 to overhang the shelf 57and lock the pin 51 into place, A roll 125 of ribbon 101 may then bepositioned in the pocket 127 with the ribbon 101 threaded through theslot 124 under the forward arm 133 of the spring 131 and through theappropriate slit 123 in the guide bar 122. Such arrangement causes thefree end 101 of the ribbon 101 to extend between the shuttle 120 and`the point 55 of the pin 51 (FIGURES 1 and 2).

At this point, decision must then be made as to the style and size ofbow desired. With respect to the bow style, the style selecting meansinvolves placing the adjustable stop means 85 in the desired hole 91adjoining the parti-cular style 21' imprinted on the platform 21. Thus,as illustrated in FIGURE 9, the choice is among a bow having two, threeor five conoidal loops, a bow having a multiplicity of symmetricalconoidal loops or a puff bow. Next, the size of the bow -is selected atleast initially by the positioning of the bow size means which comprisesimply the angle set means of the present invention. Thus, asillustrated in FIGURE 10, the index knob 117 is set at No. 2, forexample, to produce bows having a 2 diameter by limiting the upwardtravel of the feed lever 102 through the contact of the cam followerboss 112 with the cam wheel 111.

After the bow style and size have been selected and the ribbon 101 andpin 51 have been positioned as set forth above, the actual bow makingoperation may proceed. Initially, the feed lever 102 is depressed by thefirst hand of the bow machine operator. Such m-ovement causes theshuttle 120 to be inserted in the cavity 6 47 formed by the sleeve 44with the pin 51 received within the shuttle 120 (FIGURE 7). Since theribbon 101 extends between the shuttle 120 and the pin 51, it is impaledon the pin 51 by the shuttle 120. Thus, the ribbon 101 slips past theshoulder 56 of the pin 51 and is retained thereby on the pin shaft 52.

The fed lever 102 is then permitted to return to its initial position,i.e., the cam follower boss 112 thereon contacts the cam wheel 111. Suchmovement of the feed lever 102 causes the roll 125 to rotate and theribbon 101 to move forward through a distance set by the bow size means.The forward movement of the ribbon 101 is due to its end 101 beingsecurely xed on the pin 51 and maintained in such position by the sleeve44 (FIGURE 8). The sleeve 44 is depressed by the feed lever 102 when theribbon 101 is impaled on the pin 51 (FIGURE 7), but when the feed lever102 lis released, the sleeve 44 returns to its initial position (FIGURE8) and thus holds the ribbon 101 snugly on the pin 51.

Next, the operating lever 71 is rotated until it strikes the stop lever86 by the second hand of the bow machine operator. Such rotation of theoperating lever 71 moves the loop retaining means 40 through acorresponding angle set by the style selector means, i.e. the adjustablestop means 85. Preferably, during the rotation of the operating lever71, the feed lever 102 is depressed slightly to release the tension onthe ribbon 101. The operating lever 71 lis then returned to its initialposition (FIG- URES 1 and 5). However, since during such return stroke,the clutch means is disengaged and the brake means maintains theposition of the operating gear 77, the loop retaining means remainsstationary with the -twist formed in the ribbon 101 extending from thefeed lever 102. The feed lever 102 is lthen again depressed so that thesuccessive portion of the ribbon 4i-s impaled on the -pin 51 (FIGURE 7)and above-described sequence of steps is repeated. lFor each rsucceedingloop, the entire `operation is `repeated until the desired number ofloops of the `same `size is produced. Then the bow size means may lbereset to a larger or smaller size and the operation `again repeated.When the desired size of bow is achieved, the ribbon 101 is cut and the'bow can ybe removed simply lby depressing the end 62 of the lock-inglever 59.

Many other specific embodiments of the present invention will be obviousto one skilled in the art in view of this disclosure. For example, byproper design, the frictional engagement of the ribbon with the feedlever would permit the elimination of the stop tab means. Similarly, thebrake means of the loop-operating means could be eliminated by includingsuflicient frictional resistance to rotation in the mounting of the gearwheels. In addition, the cam wheel may be on either side of the fulcrumof the feed lever so long as its position is sufliciently close theretoso that the rotation of the cam wheel produces a correspondingly largechange in the position of the feed lever away from the loop retainingmeans. Also, by appropriately changing the gear ratio between theoperating gear and the spindle gear, the corresponding change in therotation of the loop retaining means with reference to the operatinglever can be achieved. In addition, if desired, the operating lever maybe spring biased to automatically return to its initial operatingposition and the feed lever may be changed so that it can befoot-operated. In addition, the feed lever may be mechanically connectedto the operating lever or directly to the loop retaining means so thatdepressing the feed lever rotates the loop retaining means.

There are many features of the present invention which clearly show thesignificant advance it represents over. the prior art. Consequently,only a few of the more outstanding features will be pointed out toillustrate the unexpected and unusual results attained by the presentinvention. One feature of the present invention is a simply constructedand simply operated bow making machine which can achieve the same endresults as those achieved by more complicated and expensive machines.Another feature of the present invention is a bow makingmachine adaptedto be used in the home by the average housewife utilizing only a simplebooklet of instructions. Still another feature of the present inventionis a bow making machine wherein the loop retaining means is rotated by asimple operating lever being rotated repeatedly between the same angularposition. Still another feature of the present invention is a bow makingmachine wherein the bow styleV means involves a simple placement yof thestop lever in a position set for the style of bow desired. Still anotherfeature of the present invention is a bow making machine wherein the bowsize is adjusted simply by the rotation of a cam wheel.

It will be understood that the foregoing description and examples areonly illustrative of the present invention and it is not intended thatthe invention be limited thereto. All substitutions, alterations andmodifications of the present invention which come within the scope ofthe following claims or to which the present invention is readilysusceptible, without departing from the spirit and scope of thisdisclosure are considered part of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A manually operated machine for making decorative bows from acontinuous length of ribbon comprising:

(a) rotatable loopretaining means adapted to hold in a xed positionthereon ribbon applied thereto and to be rotated independently by thefirst hand of the bow machine operator, `said loop retaining meansincluding a rotatably mounted spindle, a sleeve coaxially and slidablymounted on the end of said spindle, said sleeve being biased to aforward position extending partially beyond the spindle end so as todene a cavity and being adapted to be retracted to a rearward positionwhereby said cavity is at least substantially reduced in depth, and pinretaining means for removably holding a pin extending from said spindleend with the pointed end of said pin adjacent said ribbon feed means,said pin retaining means including an annular shelf in said spindle endwith at least one overhanging lip and a locking lever pivotally mountedon vsaid spindle, said locking lever having an inwardly extending prongon its rst end, having a second end extending externally of said sleeveand being biased to have said prong overhang said shelf;

(b) loop operating means for rotating said loop retaining meanssuccessively through a predetermined angle, said loop operating meansincluding an operating lever adapted to rotate said loop retaining meansby repeated rotation between the same angular positions; and

(c) ribbon feed means adapted to successively apply portions of ribbonspaced along the continuous length thereof to said loop retaining meanssuccessively to form radiating loops of ribbon and to be operatedindependently by the second hand of the bow machine operator, saidribbon feed means being adjacent to said sleeve.

2. A bow making machine as stated in claim 1, where- `in said loopoperating means includes gear means for `transmitting the rotation ofsaid operating lever to said loop retaining means; clutch means forengaging said operating lever with said gear means during rotation ofsaid operating lever in a first direction and disengaging it duringrotation in the opposite direction; and adjustable stop means forsetting one angular position of said operating lever.

3. A bow making machine as stated in claim 2, wherein said loopoperating means includes brake means for preventing reverse rotation ofsaid loop retaining means at all times.

4. A bow making machine as stated in claim 1, wherein said ribbon feedmeans comprises a feed lever having a rear end pivotally connected tosaid machine and spaced from said loop retaining means and a front endadapted to be aligned with said loop retaining means, said feed leverhaving said front end biased away from said loop retaining means.

5. A bow making machine as stated in claim 4, wherein said feed leverincludes angle set means for selectively limiting the angulardisplacement of said feed lever from said loop retaining means.

6. A bow making machine as stated in claim 5, wherein said angle setmeans comprises a cam wheel mounted adjacent said feed lever pivotalconnection and a cam follower mounted on said feed lever and adapted tocontact said cam wheel when said feed lever is rotated away from Saidloop retaining means 7. A bow making machine as stated in claim 4,wherein said feed lever has a shuttle mounted on said front end andadapted to contact said loop retaining means by rotation of said feedlever towards said loop retaining means; and a ribbon guide meansmounted on said feed lever for directing said ribbon into interpositionbetween said shuttle and loop retaining means.

8. A bow making machine as stated in claim 7, wherein said feed leverincludes a stop tab means for preventing the ribbon from slipping withrespect to the feed lever when the feed lever moves toward said loopretaining means and permitting such slippage when the feed lever movesaway from said loop retaining means. v

9. A manually operated machine for making decorative bows from acontinuous length of ribbon comprising:

(a) a platform having an apertured mound at one end and a clevis atanother end;

(b) a loop retaining means rotatably mounted on said apertured mound forrotation by a rst hand of a user of said machine, said loop retainingmeans including a pin retaining means;

(C) a pin engageable in said pin retaining means;

(d) a ribbon feed lever having one end pivotally mounted in said clevisand another end extending over said loop retaining means in alignmenttherewith, said other end of said feed lever engaging said loopretaining means when said feed lever is pivoted -in said clevis by theother hand of said user, said feed lever being adapted to feedpredetermined lengths of said ribbon to said loop retaining means:

(e) a cam wheel mounted on said clevis adjacent said one end of saidfeed lever;

(f) a cam follower mounted on said one end of said feed lever adjacentsaid cam wheel for engagement therewith when said lever is rotated awayfrom said loop retaining means, whereby the angular displacement of saidfeed lever is selectively limited with respect to said loop retainingmeans to establish said predetermined lengths of ribbon; and

(g) ribbon guide means mounted on said feed lever for directing saidribbon into position between said other end of said feed lever and saidloop retaining means, whereby said ribbon will engage said pin and beretained in position on said loop retaining means by said pin when saidother end of said feed lever is swung into engagement with said loopretaining means and then swung out of engagement therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,933,223 4/1960Kravig et al 223-46 2,982,452 5/1961 Anderson 223-46 3,129,861 4/1964Napier 223-46 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner,

1. A MANUALLY OPERATD MACHINE FOR MAKING DECORATIVE BOWS FROM ACONTINOUS LENGTH OF RIBBON COMPRISING: (A) ROTATABLE LOOP RETAININGMEANS ADAPTED TO HOLD IN A FIXED POSITION THEREON RIBBON APPLIED THERETOAND TO BE ROTATED INDEPENDENTLY BY THE FIRST HAND OF THE BOW MACHINEOPERATOR, SAID LOOP RETAINING MEANS INCLUDING A ROTATABLY MOUNTEDSPINDLE, A SLEEVE COAXIALLY AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE END OF SAIDSPINDLE, SAID SLEEVE BEING BIASED TO A FORWARD POSITION EXTENDINGPARTIALLY BEYOND THE SPINDLE END SO AS TO DEFINE A CAVITY AND BEINGADAPTED TO BE RETRACTED TO A REARWARD POSITION WHEREBY SAID CAVITY IS ATLEAST SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED IN DEPTH, AND PIN RETAINING MEANS FORREMOVABLY HOLDING A PIN EXTENDING FROM SAID SPINDLE END WITH THE POINTEDEND OF SAID PIN ADJACENT SAID RIBBON FEED MEANS, SAID PIN RETAININGMEANS INCLUDING AN ANNULAR SHELF IN SAID SPINDLE END WITH AT LEAST ONEOVERHANGING LIP AND A LOCKING LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SPINDLE,SAID LOCKING LEVER HAVING AN